U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

The criteria for diagnosing ASD today are vastly different from those that would’ve resulted in an autism diagnosis shortly after the abolishment of lobotomy, it is hardly surprising the rate keeps going up as you widen the net.

What's the link between ASD and lobotomies?

I think he's just trying to choose a point in time when mental healthcare was more primitive to go along with saying the diagnosis is more sophisticated now.

A main thing is that people with autism would just be classified as generally mentally disabled and the rise in autism is highly tied a drop in that general diagnosis. I don't think that covers 100% of the rise but does seem to make up the big majority.

U.S. special-education autism classification was created in 1994 and tied to a big rise in diagnosis.

https://news.wisc.edu/data-provides-misleading-picture-of-au...